Ayo Technology
by EarlyBird31
Summary: An AU Zutara in which Katara and Zuko are university students who have almost nothing in common but reluctantly agree to work together on a project. They're also wildly attracted to each other.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Ayo Technology

**Disclaimer**: I do not own _Avatar: The Last Airbender_.

**AN: **This is (obviously) an AU story and takes place in a world geographically similar to the real A:tLA world but does not have bending. Sections of the story consist of emails or chat transcripts but the majority will be in prose. The date and time parts of the emails may seem arbitrary but they're not.

* * *

To: Zuko  
Subject: Senior Project  
Date: 15 September, 2012 1:41:02 PM  
From: Katara

Hello, my name is Katara. I'm a sophomore Peace Studies major, and I don't believe we've shared any classes thus far. Our mutual adviser, Professor Iroh, gave me your email address in the hopes that I might be of some assistance to you in completing your senior project. Unfortunately, he was a bit vague on the details so I don't know what the extent of my involvement would be. Regardless, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with you.  
Thanks,  
Katara

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Senior Project  
Date: 16 September, 2012 6:14:25 AM  
From: Zuko

I don't know who you are or what project you're referring to, so please don't contact me again.

To: Zuko  
Subject: Possible confusion  
Date: 16 September, 2012 12:34:05 AM  
From: Katara

Hello again,  
I apologize for any misunderstanding my previous email may have elicited. Are you not Zuko, fourth year International Studies major? Or perhaps did Professor Iroh give me the wrong email address?  
Thanks,  
Katara

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Possible confusion  
Date: 18 September, 2012 7:15:44 AM  
From: Zuko

I don't know and I don't care. Stop emailing me.

To: Zuko  
Subject: Cooperation  
Date: 18 September, 2012 4:38:27 AM  
From: Katara

Hello again,  
I met with Professor Iroh to discuss the difficulties I've been having in my attempts to work with you. He explained that you're his nephew and told me about your chronic shyness and interpersonal problems. Please don't be embarrassed! I just want to help you with the project. I'm very passionate about humanitarian causes.  
Hoping to hear from you soon,  
Katara

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Cooperation  
Date: 18 September, 2012 6:52:11 AM  
From: Zuko

My uncle lied to you. I'm not shy and I don't have interpersonal problems, but you obviously do. Take a hint. I don't need any help and I don't want to work with you.

To: Zuko  
Subject: Rudeness  
Date: 20 September, 2012 12:37:19 AM  
From: Katara

Professor Iroh didn't lie to me, he just sugarcoated the truth. I've asked around and it seems like everyone who's met you thinks you're a whiney jerk. You didn't have to be rude to me. I'm just trying to help.

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Rudeness  
Date: 23 September, 2012 3:29:55 PM  
From: Zuko

I've asked around about you too. Apparently you're a preachy crybaby. If you really care that much about orphans and the rainforest do your own project and stop bothering me.

To: Zuko  
Subject: Guilt  
Date: 23 September, 2012 1:33:08 AM  
From: Katara

So you're admitting that you were rude?

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Guilt  
Date: 23 September, 2012 6:45:16 AM  
From: Zuko

When did I say that?

To: Zuko  
Subject: Re: Re: Guilt  
Date: 23 September, 2012 11:47:11 AM  
From: Katara

You didn't deny it…

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Re: Re Guilt  
Date: 23 September, 2012 4:18:33 PM  
From: Zuko

Admission by omission? Are you sure you're cut out for higher education?

To: Zuko  
Subject: (No subject)  
Date: 24 September, 2012 3:20:51 AM  
From: Katara

Okay, look. I'm going to level with you. I was kicked out of History of Military Conquests because Professor Zhao is a bigoted narcissist who deserves to be fired. He is without a doubt the worst professor at this school and the vilest human being I've ever met. Professor Iroh arranged for me to make up the credits by helping you with your senior project. If you don't let me work with you I'll be forced to beg Zhao to let me back into his class.

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: (No subject)  
Date: 27 September, 2012 6:10:43 AM  
From: Zuko

I haven't had the time to give this project much thought. Did you have a specific cause in mind?

To: Zuko  
Subject: Re: Re: (No subject)  
Date: 27 September, 2012 8:37:12 PM  
From: Katara

I think so. Have you heard about the pollution problem in Jang Hui river? Apparently runoff from nearby Sozin Industries factory plants have been killing wildlife and making people ill. The problem hasn't gotten a lot of press because no one wants to go up against Sozin Industries.  
I'm not delusional enough to believe that there's anything we can do to stop the polluting, but it might be good to give the people a voice or raise some money to help them buy the medicine they need.  
Let me know what you think!  
Katara

To: Zuko  
Subject: ?  
Date: 01 October, 2012 8:00:43 PM  
From: Katara

Your last email left me with the impression that you're okay with working together. Was I wrong or did you change your mind?

To: Zuko  
Subject: Seriously?  
Date: 03 October, 2012 4:27:30 AM  
From: Katara

Tomorrow's the deadline for dropping classes. Just tell me what's going on so I know whether or not I have to deal with Zhao. Please.

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Seriously?  
Date: 04 October, 2012 7:29:02 AM  
From: Zuko

Don't bother with Zhao. He's a creep. Where did you read about the pollution problem? Do you have more information?

To: Zuko  
Subject: As requested…  
Date: 05 October, 2012 12:40:21 AM  
From: Katara  
12 Attachments#

There's not a lot of information out there, and I had to dig pretty deep to find it.

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: As requested…  
Date: 05 October, 2012 8:08:23 AM  
From: Zuko

What was up with those pictures? They were kind of graphic.

To: Zuko  
Subject: Re: Re: As requested…  
Date: 05 October, 2012 6:38:29 PM  
From: Katara

There's been a serious outbreak of Pentapox in the Jang Hui islands. My best friend is there doing missionary work and he sent me photographs of the disease in action. About one fifth of the people who contract the disease will die from it, and that's mostly children and the elderly.

To: Katara  
Subject: (No subject)  
Date: 05 October, 2012 7:20:09 PM  
From: Zuko

Are you sure that the factories are to blame for it? Has Sozin Industries acknowledged the disease?

To: Zuko  
Subject: Re: (No subject)  
Date: 06 October, 2012 12:42:12 AM  
From: Katara

Did you even bother to read the articles I sent you?

To: Katara  
Subject: (No subject)  
Date: 08 October, 2012 2:21:58 PM  
From: Zuko

There was a lot of jargon. Meet me in the library on Thursday afternoon?

To: Zuko  
Subject: Re: (No subject)  
Date: 09 October, 2012 12:52:28 AM  
From: Katara

Sure, I usually sit at the table on the far left corner of the fourth floor. I'll be there from 2 until 4:30 and I'll be wearing blue.  
See you soon,  
Katara

* * *

Zuko wonders if he's making a huge mistake. What good could possibly come from investigating the company that he someday hopes to own? Ozai has already made it clear that he considers Zuko to be the less remarkable of his two children. Azula is the obvious favorite, whereas Zuko is an embarrassment. Ozai brags about Azula's accomplishments and tells his partners that she brings honor to the family. Zuko has no honor and only brings shame to Sozin's legacy.

And even if his father decides to pass over Zuko and give Sozin Industries to Azula, Zuko will still be a major shareholder, and come April, on his twenty-first birthday, he'll assume a position on the board of trustees. It's insane to even entertain the idea of doing anything to jeopardize that future.

But those pictures… all of those children covered in those ugly, purple rashes, just waiting to die…

It's difficult to ignore that degree of suffering, and it's weighing on his conscience more and more every day.

Zuko's never ventured to the fourth floor before now, and he's pleasantly surprised by what he finds; it's almost completely empty. Empty means that he won't be forced to deal with people staring and whispering, either about his family or his scar.

He's surprised that this girl, this _Katara_, hasn't made the connection yet. He would have thought that with all the research she's been doing into his family's company, she would have somewhere come across his name and put two and two together. The first thing he did when she sent him her sources was scan through and see if he's mentioned anywhere, and to his relief, he is not.

In her email she said that she had asked around about him, so he wonders if she already knows about the scar. Chan claimed to have had a class with her, and according to him, the girl is a sanctimonious killjoy who can't take a joke. It's obvious that she has a personal grudge against his family so Zuko doesn't plan on revealing his association if he can help it. He already gets enough grief from his uncle, and the only reason he tolerates those lectures is because he loves the old man. Zuko doubts he'll be able to muster any patience for a snotty sophomore.

Katara is sitting exactly where she said she would be, and for that Zuko is grateful. He's already anxious about this meeting and doesn't need another reason to blow it off. The location also suits his needs. This corner of the library is spacious and the table she sits at is plenty big enough for two students. Her head is partially obscured by her laptop, and she seems to be too intently focused on whatever it is that she's looking at to notice Zuko's approach.

"Hey," he whispers, gently placing his messenger bag on the empty end of the table.

"Oh!" she jumps, startled by his arrival, quickly slamming her laptop shut. "I'm sorry, I was just…" her voice trails off when she looks up at his face.

"I'm Zuko," he says, refusing to allow for an awkward silence. It's apparent that she hasn't been warned about his scar. "You're Katara, right?" he asks.

Katara blushes and clears her throat. "Yes, that's me," she says, rising to her feet and gesturing towards the empty chair across from where she stands. "Please, have a seat."

"I can't stay long," he tells her, sitting anyway. "I have a research paper due tomorrow." It's a lie. He doesn't have any other plans for the afternoon or evening, but he feels better knowing that he has a reason to leave if he needs one.

"You _do _seem like the type to procrastinate," says Katara.

Zuko's ready to breathe fire with an angry retort until he sees her smile and realizes that she's trying to lighten the mood and didn't intend for him to interpret her remarks as ridicule. But while he doesn't feel the need to lash out, he can't bring himself to play along.

"This lame project isn't high up on my things to do list," he says flatly. "Can we just get this over with?"

"Sure," she replies, smiling fading. "You said you had some difficulty understanding some of the articles I sent you?"

"No, I didn't," says Zuko, immediately on the defensive again. He doesn't know where this girl gets off insulting his intelligence so casually.

"Well, you mentioned that they were jargon heavy so I just assumed that they were too advanced for you."

Zuko makes sure to hide his hands under the table so she can't see how tightly his fists are clenched. The girl doesn't even know him and she's already calling him stupid. She and Azula would get along swimmingly.

"Maybe you should stop assuming," he counters. "I did read those dumb articles. Nowhere does it say that Sozin's is responsible for the pollution or that the pollution is responsible for the disease. You're just seeing what you want to see and making the rest up as you go along."

"_Excuse me?_" she gasps, evidently outraged. "Do you have any idea how much money it costs to do this kind of research? Who do you think is going to shell out to take on a company that has essentially militant business practices?"

"So, because no one is willing to fund a baseless witch hunt, Sozin's must be responsible, is that really what you're saying?"

"Are you _defending_ Sozin Industries?" she asks, blue eyes widening in disbelief.

"And what if I am?" he demands, shouting now, library rules be damned. "You can't just go around pointing fingers at people without any proof to back up your argument."

"Wow," she laughs humorlessly. "I never though I'd meet someone who manages to make Zhao look honorable and compassionate."

In an instant the blood drains from Zuko's face, making his pink scar contrast even more starkly with his pale skin. His stomach churns at the mere mention of that man's name.

"Don't _ever_ compare me to Zhao," Zuko says, shaking in anger. He tries to remain composed as he stands to retrieve his bag and stalk off in an angry huff, but the look of disgust marring Katara's otherwise pretty face breaks his resolve.

Acutely aware of her eyes watching and judging his every move, Zuko turns and violently kicks his chair, sending it flying. He felt no pain when his foot made contact with the wooden leg, and feels only satisfaction when he watches the chair break as it hits the wall. Katara is probably speaking, but Zuko can't hear any words – his ears are ringing and he's seeing red.

When he walks away he doesn't look back.

* * *

This is my first ever fic so thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! Feel free to leave a review if you're so inclined!


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Ayo Technology  
**Chapter:** 2  
**Disclaimer**: I do not own _Avatar: The Last Airbender_.

**AN: **Here's the next chapter. I wanted to wait to post it but I'm impatient! I hope you all enjoy reading!

* * *

To: Zuko  
Subject: (No subject)  
Date: 11 October, 2012 12:30:22 AM  
From: Katara

Hello,  
I think we got off onto the wrong foot yesterday. I'm sure you were stressed about your big paper. A lot of guys I know like to take out their anger over personal failures on the people around them. Your uncle warned me about your temper tantrums but I didn't think he was serious.  
Anyways, I'd like to give working together another try. Do you want to try meeting in the library again? I told the librarians that the chair thing was an accident.  
Katara

To: Zuko  
Subject: (No subject)  
Date: 12 October, 2012 1:47:13 AM  
From: Katara

Hello,  
I realize (belatedly) that my last email might have been unintentionally condescending. Please don't take offense. I understand that some people have trouble admitting their weaknesses and that I should respect your right to be apathetic. We should still work together. The third floor is also lovely.  
Katara

To: Zuko  
Subject: (No subject)  
Date: 13 October, 2012 1:51:17AM  
From: Katara

Zuko?

To: Zuko  
Subject: (No subject)  
Date: 14 October, 2012 2:32:53 AM  
From: Katara

Really? No response? Nothing to say whatsoever?

To: Zuko  
Subject: (No subject)  
Date: 14 October, 2012 11:48:41 PM  
From: Katara

I keep trying to make light of what happened in the library and it's coming off as insincere because I still can't wrap my head around it. You were scary. I don't understand what exactly I said or did to upset you, but I'm sorry to have caused you pain. You were right about my argument lacking support but I think that you know I'm not wrong about who's to blame. Your uncle is hosting a tea party tomorrow night for some visiting scholars (as I'm sure you're already aware). I wasn't planning on going but if you are and you want to maybe talk, I think that would be a safe place to meet.  
Hope all is well,  
Katara

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: (No subject)  
Date: 15 October, 2012 6:01:49AM  
From: Zuko

Yeah, I'll be there.

* * *

Katara is running late because she spent an extra twenty minutes primping. Katara's not usually one for makeup or blow-drying, but tonight she's supposed to sip tea with some of the most brilliant minds in the Four Nations, so she wants to look her best.

And if that insufferable Zuko boy _does_ show up Katara doesn't want to look like she just rolled out of a gutter. Part of her hopes that he stands her up so she won't have to deal with the mess she's made. If only Professor Iroh had a nice, normal nephew who would reply to emails and didn't throw chairs.

Because, seriously, who does that?

Sure she had been a little judgmental, perhaps unnecessarily so, but he caught her off guard. How can anyone in their right mind defend Sozin Industries? They're weapons manufacturers! And the pollution issue aside, the company is notorious for valuing monetary profit over human lives. Katara knows this better than anyone and she wonders how this mysterious boy chooses to overlook the obvious. Still, she promises herself that she'll resist the urge to interrogate him. If this is going to work out she needs to mellow and not take everything so personally.

Her eyes scan the crowd for him and her heart is beating unusually fast. When she finally spots him she doesn't know whether to feel relief or despair. Usually her _very_ flattering (yet tasteful) cobalt-blue wrap dress and platform pumps make her feel confident and fearless, but as she makes her way over to where he sits she feels insecure and self-conscious. Still, she keeps her head held high and hopes that her nervousness doesn't show.

Zuko has claimed the couch that is furthest away from the refreshments, and consequently, furthest away from the other party guests. Evidently he's not one for socializing. Katara's not surprised to find him alone. His slouched posture, crossed arms, and hooded face don't exactly exude friendliness or warmth. Though his rage is plenty hot.

Katara considers his anger and his scar. She feels guilty for having been caught staring and embarrassed for wondering about how the red skin would feel under the pads of her fingers. She didn't expect him to be handsome. In her mind, reading his emails, she had envisioned a young Iroh. Zuko isn't supposed to be tall and lean, and he certainly isn't supposed to have such broad shoulders or such striking eyes. Her momentary attraction to him is impossible to explain, even to herself, though thankfully that shipped sailed away the moment he opened his mouth.

"Hey," says Katara. She's hesitant to join him on the couch but there is nowhere else for her to sit. She tries to hide her reluctance but still keeps a sizable distance between them.

"Hey," he says, sounding equally uncomfortable, yet he still lowers his hood and turns to face her. Katara watches him blink drowsily and rub his eyes with the heel of his hands.

"You were sneaking a nap?" she guesses, trying to suppress a smile. There's something undeniably cute about sleepy boys and she feels the most peculiar urge to climb into his lap and kiss his brow.

"I was meditating," he replies, though his blush gives him away.

"Uh-huh," she smiles openly now. "Sure you were."

"Are you calling me a liar?" he demands heatedly, eyes narrowed.

This guy has a remarkably short fuse. They've been talking for less than a minute and she's already managed to set him off. But how should she diffuse his anger? She doesn't want their second meeting to end as poorly as their first. They need to get past this hostility. She needs to show him that she doesn't want to fight.

Katara places a gentle hand on Zuko's arm. He tenses but doesn't shake her off, and Katara notices absently that this guy is all muscle.

"I'm just teasing you," she says lightly. "If I woke up as early as you do I'd be dead to the world by now."

"What do you mean?" he asks, tone more curious than defensive.

"All those six AM emails…" Katara giggles. "What, do you wake up at dawn everyday?"

"Sorta… well, yeah, I do," he says with a hint of a smile. "I'm a morning person. I rise with the sun."

"You must be from the Fire Nation then," Katara says, stating the obvious. Though she's relived to see that he's finally loosening up.

Later she'll swear to her roommates that this is the moment when he glances swiftly and fleetingly at her breasts. Though like a true gentleman, he's quick to look away.

"And you're Water Tribe," he says and then shrugs in response to her raised brow. "Your eyes give it away. They're so… blue."

"I'm Southern Water Tribe," she says, for the sake of continuing the easy conversation. "My brother and I are the only ones at this school from the south."

"Then why do you care so much about those Fire Nation towns?" Zuko asks. "Isn't there a lot of bad blood between the Southern Water Tribe and the Jang Hui river islands?"

Katara frowns. "No matter who my family is and regardless of my people's history, I won't turn my back on someone who needs my help." The thought had never even crossed her mind. "I can't just turn a blind eye to human suffering."

"Oh," he says shortly, before crossing his arms and staring down at the floor.

"Isn't that the point of this whole project?"

"… yeah..."

Katara remains silent because Zuko appears to be deeply immersed in thought, and while she has no idea what he has to think so hard about, she would never dream of interrupting. Why is her declaration so troubling? Finally, after a few long minutes of playing with the hem of her dress she stands abruptly.

"I'm going to get some tea," she announces. "Would you care for some too?"

"No," he replies without looking up.

These single word answers are beginning to grate her nerves. Not wanting to pick a fight, she sighs and walks away without uttering another word. Boys are impossible, after all, and she isn't at this party just to make nice with him. She has no intention of passing up an opportunity to meet the members of The Order of the White Lotus.

When Katara returns nearly a half hour later, cup and saucer in hand, she realizes that his gaze is no longer fixed on the ground. Zuko is looking at her. He's not leering, he's not glaring – he's just watching her, and that alone is enough to make Katara blush. She can't help but hope that he likes what he sees. When she rejoins him on the couch she sits just a smidgen closer than before.

"I'm sorry about what happened in the library," he says seriously, eyes locking with hers. "You didn't deserve that."

"Everyone has the occasional freak out," says Katara. "Guys just don't get the luxury of blaming it on PMS."

She expects him to laugh or maybe crack a small smile but he doesn't. The thin, grim line that is his mouth dips into a deep frown. He looks much older when he frowns, and she wishes that he'd stop.

"You're a really good person," he says, finally looking away. "Those people are lucky to have someone like you caring about them."

"Oh." Katara is certain that her face is tomato red. "Thank you. It's sweet of you to say but the truth is that I'm really not anything special."

"I've never met anyone from the Water Tribe until now, so I could be wrong. Maybe all Water Benders are as compassionate as you."

Katara smiles slightly. "There's a colloquial term people use to describe lost causes back home at the South Pole," she tells him. "Want to know what it is?"

"Um, not really," he replies. "But I'm sure you're going to tell me anyways."

"Katarable.'" A neighbor had come up with the word and it had spread quickly throughout her small town. She'd even caught her dad using it once to lament the dwindling tiger seal population. She grimaces at the memory.

"Katarable…?" he echoes.

"As in, 'no matter how many cups of tea I give my nephew he refuses to appreciate that it's more than just hot leaf juice!' '_Gee, Professor Iroh, that sure is Katarable_…'"

"Seriously?"

"I know!" she cries. "It's _completely_ ridiculous."

Zuko smirks, having finally recognized her playfulness. "Well I wouldn't go that far…"

"And what's that supposed to mean?" She tries to sound angry but she can't stop the smile that's spreading across her face.

"It means that you're a lost cause," he tells her. "I'm willing to bet that you're the most stubborn girl in the entire tribe.

Katara rolls her eyes at him. "And _you're_ insufferable. I'm willing to be that you're the most exasperating boy in the entire Fire Nation."

"Insufferable is just my middle name," he leans in and Katara catches of a whiff of something dark and spicy. "You can call me Zuko."

"Well, _Zuko_," she says, "As insufferable as you are, I'm starting to think that this might just work. We might actually make it through this project without killing each other."

And she means it too. He's really not that bad. Prickly, maybe, and a little odd, but not completely unpleasant. She's willing to give him a chance. It's just a stupid project. It's not like she's agreeing to marry him.

"I have an idea," Zuko says, after pausing for a lull in the conversation. "About the project."

"Alright."

"How about…" he runs a hand throw his hair and looks inexplicably nervous. "Let's not worry about where the pollution is coming from. We don't exactly have any proof and there's really nothing two college kids can do to stop it, right?"

"I guess…" Katara says slowly. "So what _can _we do?"

"I think we should try to help the people," he says. "I think we should raise money for the sick. Most of them are probably too poor to afford the right medicine so maybe we can pay the costs for them."

It's not optimal, and it doesn't do much to promote social justice, but it is practical, and it isn't her decision.

"It's your project." And it's more than she had expected from him so she's not going to push it. "I'm up for whatever you're up for."

He smiles at her, and Katara can't resist smiling back because Zuko has a very nice smile.

Later that night as she walks home Katara realizes that, despite her best efforts to resist his brooding charm, she's got a bit of a crush.

* * *

To: Zuko  
Subject: Fund Raising  
Time: 18 October, 2012 7:01:19 PM  
From: Katara

Hello,  
So we didn't really get a chance to discuss the specifics of fund raising strategies. I don't know if you have any ideas, but I was thinking that we might need to do series of projects. People these days aren't going to donate without some kind of incentive, and I made some phone calls – let me just say that the treatment for Pentapox isn't cheap. If we want to make a difference we're going to need some serious money. I know your minor is in business so I was hoping you'd have some insight?  
Katara

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Fund Raising  
Time: 19 October, 2012 6:11:11 AM  
From: Zuko

In most business classes they teach you to keep your profits or invest them. Raising money for humanitarian causes was never encouraged.

To: Zuko  
Subject: Helpful  
Time: 19 October, 2012 8:40:52 PM  
From: Katara

Hello,  
That was incredibly helpful. Thank you for the suggestions.

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Helpful  
Time: 20 October, 2012 9:27:13 AM  
From: Zuko

We could have a bake sale? You know how to cook, right? I'm sure you're decent enough.

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Helpful  
Time: 21 October, 2012 8:31:02 AM  
From: Zuko

Did you get my last email?

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Helpful  
Time: 21 October, 2012 6:55:00 PM  
From: Zuko

Why are you ignoring me?

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Helpful  
Time: 22 October, 2012 9:04:53 AM  
From: Zuko

I meant it as a compliment.

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Helpful  
Time: 22 October, 2012 11:00:29 AM  
From: Zuko

I thought you cared about this…

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Helpful  
Time: 23 October, 2012 6:17:43 AM  
From: Zuko

I talked to some administrator in the outreach department. We can have an entire week at the end of January or the beginning of February. I think we should do a different event every day. Students like sex and partying, so we should do stupid shit like formals and date auctions and fashion shows and topless carwashes?  
PS Here's a fun fact: Fundraising isn't part of the business curriculum, but apparently the peace studies program covers it in many of their classes. Isn't that interesting?

To: Zuko  
Subject: Approval  
Time: 23 October, 2012 11:46:09 AM  
From: Katara

Not bad. :) I'm sure I can rustle up enough pretty boys for a topless carwash. Let's meet tomorrow and talk some more?  
PS Is it really? Huh, wow, I guess I haven't taken any of those classes yet.

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Approval  
Time: 23 October, 2012 2:12:33 PM  
From: Zuko

8 am tomorrow campus coffee house.

To: Zuko  
Subject: Rejected  
Time: 23 October, 2012 2:40:54 PM  
From: Katara

I'm not exactly a morning person, remember? Froyo 7:30 (PM)?

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Rejected  
Time: 23 October, 2012 3:11:09 PM  
From: Zuko

Sure.

To: Zuko  
Subject: Re: Rejected  
Time: 23 October, 2012 3:25:00 PM  
From: Katara

Awesome! It's a date :)

* * *

**AN:** Thank you for reading and a _super special thank you_ to the lovely readers who reviewed. One of you beautiful and magnificent souls mentioned the lack of humor in the last chapter and I hope this chapter is a little funnier. I think I'm hilarious and laugh at my own jokes (but a lot of the time I'm the only one laughing). If any reader has a specific question about this alternate universe in which this story is set I'd be happy to answer it. I'm really grateful for the feedback and reviews so thank you all so much again and perhaps leave me some more?


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **Ayo Technology  
**Chapter:** 3  
**Disclaimer**: I do not own _Avatar: The Last Airbender_.

**AN: **I keep telling myself to give it some time so I can edit and make things pretty before posting - but Zutara week has me all psyched about, well, Zutara.  
I hope you enjoy this new chapter!

* * *

"You've really never had froyo before?" Katara asks Zuko as she hands him a cup of plain frozen yogurt.

"Why would I make that up?" he replies, sniffing the yogurt curiously.

"Sokka says that real men don't eat yogurt."

"Sokka's your brother?" Zuko guesses, trying not to sound hopeful.

"Yep," she says. "He's a third year."

Katara takes him by the wrist, her hand is soft and cool on his skin, and she leads him over to a counter near the register.

"What now?" asks Zuko. There are about a dozen bowls of diced fruit and traditional dessert toppings on the counter.

"You pick what you want, and as much as you want, and put in it your cup," she explains. "I prefer fruit. Candy is just a bit too sweet for me."

"I see," Zuko says, and he watches her add a spoonful of moon peaches and leechi nuts to her yogurt. "Does fruit even grow at the South Pole?"

"Well, nothing grows in the wild, but we do have green houses," she says before turning to face him with an outstretched hand. "Here, give me yours and I'll do it for you. I'm a master at this."

"Oh, okay." He trades his cup for hers and is struck by a brilliant idea.

"What are you in the mood for?" she asks with raised eyebrows and a tiny smile.

"Um, surprise me," he replies, glancing over at the register. "I'll be right back."

Zuko doesn't wait for her to respond. He's acting on impulse and doesn't want to lose his nerve. If he's going to do this he's going to do it right and not give her any opportunity to object. _She_'s the one who called it a date, after all. Of course she hadn't meant it in a romantic sense but… he just wants this. He doesn't know why, but he does – and he's not going to question it.

The girl at the register stares at Zuko's scar but he can't be bothered to care. He reaches for his wallet, pulls out some cash and offers the bills to the girl.

"We have to weigh the cups first," the girl says, staring at the money with a furrowed brow.

"You don't think this will cover it?" he asks the question more aggressively than he intends. Zuko checks over his should and sees that Katara's almost finished. "Hers too?" he adds distractedly, not taking his eyes off his unbelievably attractive classmate. She looks almost as good in her skinny jeans as she did in that dress.

"N-no," the cashier stutters. "It will be more than enough."

"Good," he says, blindly shoving the money at her as Katara approaches. "Keep the change."

Katara is unlike any girl Zuko has ever met and he doesn't know what to think of her. How can she be so nice to him when he's been a complete dick to her? She has no knowledge of his family or inheritance, so he can't see why she'd be so sweet and forgiving. He's never met anyone who is friendly and kind without having a reason or motive. She's receiving credits for helping him with the project, but he's almost certain she'd do it without any incentive and _still_ work hard.

"You ready?" Katara asks once she's finally reached the register, apparently oblivious to Zuko's exchange with the cashier.

"Uh, yeah." He's suddenly at a loss for words.

Katara must think that he's not moving forward because he doesn't know how to proceed with this yogurt nonsense. "Okay, so now we have to put them on the little scale and weigh them," she says with an encouraging smile. "And that's how the price is calculated."

He clears his throat. "Oh."

"See, it really doesn't matter what you put in – "

"I took care of it already," he interrupts. "Let's go sit outside?"

"What do you mean?" she asks almost suspiciously.

"It's pretty warm out today and the fresh air feels good," he replies, deciding to play dumb.

"You know that's not what I was referring to."

Zuko has spent maybe an hour in her company and already she can see right through him. This could be dangerous. He needs to stop himself from getting any closer or he needs to become better liar. Neither seems likely at the moment.

"I paid," he admits. "It's the least I can do so let's just drop it, okay?"

Katara looks as if she wants to protest but manages to resist.

"Thank you," she says, with just the hint of a blush. "And you're right about the fresh air. We should enjoy it while we still can."

Zuko holds the door open for her as they walk out, partly because he was forced to attend etiquette classes growing up, but mostly because he wants Katara to like him.

Once they're seated at one of the tiny tables outside the shop and enjoying their surprisingly delicious snack Katara asks him about his classes and he asks her about her family and a half hour later their cups are empty and neither of them has spoken a word about the project. She's somehow managed to make him laugh – _twice_.

It is easily the most enjoyable thirty minutes he's spent in another person's company since his mother died, and the most pleasant conversation he's had in years. Katara is easy to talk to and he's free to say whatever he wants to her without worrying that his comments and opinions will be used as ammunition against him sometime in the future.

Zuko wishes that Azula hadn't skipped those two years of secondary school. It was humiliating to start university at the same time as his little sister, and he felt cheated out of the two years he would have had away from her. He had been so tempted to choose a less prestigious school just to escape her mind games.

"So, do you live with your brother?" asks Zuko.

Katara shakes her head. "He's in the engineering program, so his classes are on the opposite side of campus, which is _of course_ miles away."

"And maybe he didn't want his little sister around to cramp his style."

"Exactly!" Katara laughs. "So instead I live in a rowhouse with my two best friends, Suki and Toph."

"Are they friends you knew before you came to Ba Sing Se?" he asks. "You mentioned before that you and your brother are the only ones here from the Southern Water tribe."

"The South Pole is very different from the North," she tells him, looking pleased that he remembers. "There are only about two hundred of us down there, and Sokka and I are the only ones old enough to even enroll in university."

"Wow," Zuko breathes. He already knows a fair amount about the South Pole but she seems to enjoy talking about it so he's more than willing to listen.

"_Yeah_," she laughs again, "so, needless to say, we were homeschooled."

"For secondary school too?" he asks, feeling like a journalist. Uncle once told him that the worst mistake a man can make on a date is not asking enough questions and spending too much time talking about himself. Zuko is not on a date, of course, but he still wants her to enjoy his company, and he genuinely wants to know more about her.

Katara sighs and stares into her cup. "High school was kind of rough. We starting living with my dad – he's a naval officer, so every year we were in a new city."

Zuko assumes that her parents are divorced but feels uncomfortable asking about it when he has absolutely no intention of telling her about his parents.

"And that's how you met your roommates, Suki and…."

"Toph," she finishes for him. "And yes, Suki and Toph are both from the Earth Kingdom. Suki is here on the Kyoshi scholarship, and Toph is here for geoscience."

"They sound pretty cool," he says, his mind coming up empty on more questions.

"What about you?" she asks. "Do you have roommates?"

"Just my sister," he says shortly.

"And does she cramp your style?" Katara teases.

Zuko shrugs noncommittally and abruptly changes the subject. He feels that she's coming dangerously close to asking him about his family and he can't handle lying to her. "You know, I wasn't serious about the topless carwash,"

"Why?" she asks, laughter in her voice. "Your girlfriend wouldn't approve of you taking your shirt off to wash a line of minivans?"

"I don't have a girlfriend," he says casually. "What about you? Think your boyfriend would approve of you taking your shirt off to wash a line of expensive sports cars?"

"_Expensive_ sport cars?" she echoes, tossing a wave of long brown hair over her shoulder dramatically. "You think I'm that good looking?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't think so." He knows that her question wasn't a serious one yet he's careful to keep any trace of humor from his tone. He _wants_ her to know that he's attracted to her. She's been flirting with him for the better part of an hour and he doesn't want to give the impression that it's unwelcome.

"Well, I don't know about that…" Katara's voice trails off and once again she is blushing. "But if I did have a boyfriend, which I don't," she adds quickly. "I wouldn't need his approval or disapproval because I'm pretty sure what you're suggesting is against the law."

Zuko smirks. "I can't imagine that anyone would complain."

"You dog!" she cries with mock outrage. "I can't believe we're talking about this!

Zuko can't believe it either. It's all just so… _normal_. He's having a slightly suggestive conversation with an pretty girl, and there's absolutely no pretense. The notion that she might actually like him seems almost impossible. How the hell a girl like Katara could possibly be single Zuko doesn't know but he is thankful for nonetheless.

That is, until he remembers that she hates his family and the company he someday hopes to inherent. Though she hasn't explicitly stated that she has a personal vendetta against Sozin Industries, he can't shake the feeling that this isn't just about the Pentapox outbreak. Zuko can't be seen traipsing around with a Water Tribe girl who has an axe to grind, and he doubts that she would be interested in him if she knew the truth. As much as he likes her, he knows that they can never be anything more than friends. As happy as she makes him, he knows that he needs to stay away from her, for both their sakes.

Nothing good can come from pursuing her and he needs to accept that.

* * *

To: Zuko  
Subject: Ideas  
Date: 26 October, 2012 1:25:53 AM  
From Katara

Hello,  
So I think this should be the order:  
Monday: Bake Sale  
Tuesday: Car Wash  
Wednesday: Student Concert  
Thursday: Fashion Show  
Friday: Date Auction  
Saturday: Dance  
Does this sound good to you?

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Ideas  
Date: 28 October, 2012 7:31:07 AM  
From Zuko

Sure

To: Zuko  
Subject: Volunteers  
Date: 28 October, 2012 11:16:22 AM  
From Katara

So obviously we're going to need some assistance. How many of your friends do you think you could convince to help? I think I can get 10 or so.

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Volunteers  
Date: 29 October, 2012 12:12:30 PM  
From Zuko

Maybe one or two.

To: Zuko  
Subject: Re: Re: Volunteers  
Date: 29 October, 2012 6:20:51 AM  
From Katara

Oh, okay. Well, ask around and let me know if that number changes.

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Volunteers  
Date: 30 October, 2012 10:55:10 AM  
From Zuko

It won't.

To: Zuko  
Subject: Caffeine  
Date: 30 October, 2012 11:17:30 AM  
From Katara

Oh, okay, Let's meet and talk about it?

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Caffeine  
Date: 30 October, 2012 4:19:34 PM  
From Zuko

I'm busy.

To: Zuko  
Subject: Re: Caffeine  
Date: 30 October, 2012 5:01:40 PM  
From Katara

We can do coffee this time. I'm willing to wake up before 10 am for you!

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: Caffeine  
Date: 30 October, 2012 9:10:00 PM  
From Zuko

Alright. Tomorrow, 8:30 am the Campus Coffee House

To: Katara  
Subject: (no subject)  
Date: 31 October, 2012 10:51:27 AM  
From Zuko

You left your water bottle in the Coffee House so I took it with me. Are you still on campus?

To: Zuko  
Subject: Re: (no subject)  
Date: 31 October, 2012 4:30:05 PM  
From Katara

Nope. Lunch tomorrow?

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: (no subject)  
Date: 31 October, 2012 9:04:25 PM  
From Zuko

Sure. I get out of class at 12:30

To: Zuko  
Subject: Re: (no subject)  
Date: 31 October, 2012 11:12:31 PM  
From Katara

Meet me outside the library at 12:45.

To: Katara  
Subject: (no subject)  
Date: 01 November, 2012 3:45:20 PM  
From: Zuko

You left your water bottle again.

To: Zuko  
Subject: Re: (no subject)  
Date: 01 November, 2012 10:33:19 PM  
From Katara

Oh did I?

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: (no subject)  
Date: 02 November, 2012 6:41:56 AM  
From: Zuko

Yes, under your chair.

To: Zuko  
Subject: Re: (no subject)  
Date: 02 November, 2012 7:21:10 AM  
From Katara

I'm so forgetful sometimes.

To: Katara  
Subject: Re: (no subject)  
Date: 02 November, 2012 7:35:12 AM  
From: Zuko

Well, do you want it back?

To: Zuko  
Subject: Re: (no subject)  
Date: 02 November, 2012 7:58:30 AM  
From Katara

I do.

To: Katara  
Subject: (no subject)  
Date: 02 November, 2012 9:24:06 AM  
From: Zuko

…okay?

To: Zuko  
Subject: (no subject)  
Date: 02 November, 2012 9:55:16 AM  
From Katara

Yes.

To: Katara  
Subject: (no subject)  
Date: 02 November, 2012 10:40:06 AM  
From: Zuko

We should have dinner.

To: Zuko  
Subject: (no subject)  
Date: 02 November, 2012 10:46:40 AM  
From Katara

We should.

To: Katara  
Subject: (no subject)  
Date: 02 November, 2012 11:00:39 AM  
From: Zuko

Tomorrow then?

To: Zuko  
Subject: (no subject)  
Date: 02 November, 2012 11:12:23 AM  
From Katara

What's wrong with tonight?

To: Katara  
Subject: (no subject)  
Date: 02 November, 2012 11:30:47 AM  
From: Zuko

Night class.

To: Zuko  
Subject: (no subject)  
Date: 02 November, 2012 11:48:14 AM  
From Katara

Oh, okay.

To: Katara  
Subject: (no subject)  
Date: 02 November, 2012 11:59:01 AM  
From: Zuko

Meet me tonight outside the humanities building at 9.

To: Zuko  
Subject: (no subject)  
Date: 02 November, 2012 12:02:35 PM  
From Katara

:)

* * *

Fridays are Katara's long days. To complete her dance minor, she has to take two technique courses this semester and they both fall on the same day. Every Friday afternoon Katara returns home exhausted, so she heads straight her bedroom for a brief nap.

No matter how hard she tries, Katara is unable to fall asleep. There are a million things on her mind and until she deals with the most pressing issues, she will never find peace. So reluctantly Katara drags herself out of bed to retrieve her laptop from her school bag. She then sits at her desk and drafts an email to her ex-boyfriend, Aang, the missionary.

She's halfway through composing one of the most awkward emails she's ever had to send when her thoughts are interrupted by the sound of her cell phone vibrating from under a stack of papers.

**Suki** (5:34 PM): hey on the bus now. class let out late = no groceries : / stir fry night?

**Me **(5:35 PM): I'm not going to be around for dinner tonight.

**Suki** (5:35 PM): ?

**Me **(5:35 PM): I have plans with Zuko

**Suki** (5:36 PM): again?

**Me **(5:38 PM): Yep. We've had dinner dates in total if you add the two we had last week. And we've grabbed lunch together a couple of times.

**Suki** (5:39 PM): he liiiiiikes you…

**Suki** (5:39 PM): a lot.

**Me **(5:41 PM): Doubt it. He's always a little reluctant to go out, and no matter how much fun we have together, by the end of the night he seems to have lost interest. I don't know if he even considers them dates.

**Suki** (5:42 PM): ur so paranoid

**Me **(5:43 PM): He doesn't offer to walk me home.

**Suki** (5:43 PM): ?

**Me **(5:45 PM): Instead he'll say something like "You don't need me to walk you home, do you?" and then will act super relieved when I say no.

**Suki** (5:46 PM): thats weird…

**Me **(5:47 PM): I think he likes hanging out together, but I don't know if he has romantic or sexual feelings for me.

**Suki** (5:48 PM): hes a boy. ur hot. he wants to bone you

**Me **(5:50 PM): I just don't know… and it sucks because I haven't felt this way about someone in a long time.

**Suki** (5:50 PM): get on that!

**Me **(5:50 PM): I don't want this to be a rebound. I really like him.

**Suki** (5:51 PM): is this an aang thing?

**Suki** (6:01 PM): or a jet thing?

**Suki** (6:08 PM): cause u kno not every guy is gonna dump you to answer a spiritual calling or use u for meaningless sex.

**Toph** (6:09 PM): Just get over yourself and kiss him!

**Me** (6:10 PM): Are you guys together right now?

**Me** (6:10 PM): Have you been talking about me?

**Toph** (6:11 PM): If you just make a move I guarantee that by the end of the night the two of you go from being joined at the hip to be joined at the pelvis

**Me** (6:12 PM): TOPH!

**Toph** (6:13 PM): Hey I'm just saying what everyone else is thinking

**Suki** (6:14 PM): lol not sokka! he misses asexual aang : P ps haven't mentioned sexy firebender boy infatuation. dont worry!

**Suki** (6:15 PM): and of course weve been talking bout u. no more love amongst the dragons has starved us of drama

**Toph** (6:15 PM): You should be flattered!

To: Aang  
Subject: Greetings!  
Date: 18 November, 2012 6:02:20 PM  
From: Katara

Dear Aang,

I'm glad to hear that you're doing well. We all miss you so much! Suki and I have been talking about planning a trip for all of us to visit you when the semester ends. Even Toph seems to be on board with it, and you know how she feels about flying!

I know that the fundraising events are a bit silly but I really think they're going to work. I wish you could be here to see it all. The people I'm working with are great and I'm having a lot of fun!

I understand that keeping Sozin's out of the project feels a little wrong and dishonest, but what am I supposed to do? I don't have any concrete evidence, and even though I loathe everything about Sozin's and everyone who works for them, I don't want to alienate potential donors. Apparently the company is financing the new library and a few kids are on scholarships that Sozin's sponsors. Sokka said that Ozai's children are students here too. Can you imagine what they must be like? Coming from such a long line of soulless psychopaths? I bet they're pure evil! I hate how Sozin's hurts so many people and still comes off looking like a bunch of philanthropists.

I miss you Aang. It was really difficult for me when you left. I know that officially we're broken up, but I think it might have been implied that I would wait for you, and up until a few months ago that's what I wanted to do. Things are different now. You've been gone for over a year and I just don't feel that way about you anymore. You'll always be my best friend but I'm moving on. It didn't seem fair for me to keep this from you. I care about you and I don't want to hurt you.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Katara

* * *

**Thank you for reading! And thank you so much for the reviews :) I hope you're all feeling the Zutara love this week (I know I am!)**

** How are you celebrating the joyous occasion? reenacting a certain tree trunk bondage scene with your significant other? Baring your souls to each other in an underground cavern? buying matching outfits and hunting down your mother's murderer? Or are you perhaps entering into an arranged marriage with royalty from a foreign and hostile land? Maybe you're abducting your enemy's beloved companion in an ill-advised attempt to capture said enemy but then accidentally fall madly in love with said beloved companion? I can tell you all from personal experience that being a slave in an enemy nation's palace is not all its cracked up to be. Also, just say NO THANK YOU! to love triangles. **

**So (if you'd like to) leave me a review and let me know how you plan to commemorate the anniversary of the S.S Zutara's maiden voyage. I was thinking of booking it to the South Pole. Hakoda's still single, right?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **Ayo Technology  
**Chapter:** 4  
**Disclaimer**: I do not own _Avatar: The Last Airbender_.

**AN: **So there's a little of everything in this chapter! Please enjoy :)

* * *

Zuko's business administration textbook is painfully dull, and no matter how long he stares at the tiny print he just can't seem to absorb any information. His sister isn't home, so he has the apartment to himself, which is always good. Azula's temperament is nasty on a good day and lately she's been especially vile. The last thing Zuko wants is to be cooped up with that crazy bitch in their shared apartment on such a cold and rainy night. Two years ago he had gone for a three hour run in a snowstorm to avoid Azula's foul mood and had ended up with double pneumonia. Zuko has way too much work to do to risk getting that sick again.

Yet he can't seem to buckle down and finish this chapter. Zuko's laptop is open, and he's listening to a CD Katara has given him. It's clear to him that the members of this group, "The Nomads," are drug users. Why else would they being singing about badgermoles? Normally he'd just toss the CD in the garbage but he promised Katara that he'd give it a chance.

Katara is driving him crazy. He knows that he's supposed to be avoiding her. He knows that in spite of his attempts to resist the need to spend time with her they're now essentially dating. He knows that he is in way, way over his head but he just can't help himself. When he's with her he's happy, and Zuko is never happy. She makes him feel like a good person.

The problem is that Zuko is not a good person. He's not worthy of her affections. He's lying to her. Anyone who says that hiding the truth isn't the same as lying is just in denial. Sleep had eluded him the night he had first bought her dinner. That was the night that he realized he didn't care if the project destroys his shot at becoming the next CEO. Ozai has probably been planning on making Azula his heir anyways, and as long as Zuko doesn't openly condemn the company, there's no reason why he wouldn't receive his shares and take his place on the board.

So he's going to keep his mouth shut about Sozin's being responsible for the pentapox outbreak. He likes Katara a lot but it's not worth sacrificing what he's spent his entire life working to achieve.

Though he can't help wondering what it would be like to act on all of these feelings. He can't help wondering what it would be like to spend all night exploring every inch of her naked body and then waking up to find her curled up in bed beside him. He finds himself thinking about it more often than he should, and the thoughts are distracting to say the least.

She's made it clear that she likes him too. The last time they had been out together she almost kissed him. Her lips had been tantalizingly close to his, and he's proud that he didn't give in to the urge to close the distance between them. And in the end, to his relief and disappointment, she bypassed his mouth and instead whispered a simple goodnight in his ear.

He's past the point where he can deny how badly he wants her. He doesn't know what he would have done if she had actually kissed him. He likes to believe that he'd have enough willpower to push her away because he refuses to admit his weakness. That's what these feelings for her truly are: weakness.

Azula is stronger than him in almost every measurable way, save perhaps for brute strength. She would _never _allow _feelings_ to distract her or prevent her from reaching a goal. In fact, she'd probably shamelessly exploit Katara's friendship and then find away to use the campaign for her own personal benefit. This is why she's Ozai's favorite. If Zuko is going to live up to his family's name he needs to stop giving in to his emotions.

Lately he's been overwhelmed by emotions he didn't know he had the capacity to actually feel. He keeps telling himself that it has nothing to do with Katara but he's never once believed it. Azula would mock him for sure, but then again, Azula is barely human.

After another twenty minutes of trying in vain to study, Zuko admits defeat. He's already feeling a little stir crazy. Or maybe it's frustration? He hasn't slept with anyone since Mai dumped him eights months ago, and before Katara came along, his mind was occupied with thoughts of sex far less frequently than what might be considered normal for a young man his age. Exercise usually provides an adequate release but he hates his neighbors and doesn't want to risk running into them or any other residents who might try to start conversation in the gym.

Just as he begins to overcome his reluctance a shrill ringing splinters his concentration. Someone is calling through the building's intercom system. Zuko and Azula never have uninvited guests – especially at night – so he can't imagine who might be calling. He considers ignoring the call but in the end his curiosity is too strong.

"Yes?" Zuko says, after swiping the pad of his index finger across the tiny control panel screen next to the door.

"Good evening, Master Zuko," a bubbly voice projects from the speaker below the screen. "My apologies for disturbing you."

"It's fine, Joo Dee," he tells the lobby concierge. "What do you want?"

"Several moments ago security detained an intruder," she explains. "And it is our policy to notify the resident with whom the intruder intended to make contact with."

An intruder? Zuko almost laughs when he realizes that he's more likely to be attacked by an intruder than visited by a friend.

"Well, consider me notified," he says with a slight frown. "Is there anything else?"

"This individual appears to be unstable and is currently in the custody of Long Feng," Joo Dee continues. "Would you like us to call the police?"

"Are you sure that it's me he's looking for?" asks Zuko. If this guy has been sent to assassinate Azula, well then Zuko wouldn't dream of getting in his way.

"The intruder is a young woman," Joo Dee chirps. "She asked for you by name."

And that's when it dawns on him. He can think of only a handful of girls who would want to find him outside of classes and off campus. Joo Dee would recognize Mai or Ty Lee, and he can't imagine that either of them would leave the comfort of their homes such dreadful weather. There's only one girl who would brave a nasty rainstorm to seek him out. It's Katara. Long Feng is downstairs harassing Katara and treating her like some sort of deranged stalker.

It doesn't matter that Katara is sweet and compassionate and the most amazing girl he's ever met. That racist Long Feng sees a Water Tribe girl trying to get up to the pent house and decides that she doesn't belong. In an odd way Zuko is personally insulted. Even if Katara's not an upper-class Fire Nation girl she's still incredibly hot. Do they just automatically assume that pretty girl who comes looking for him is either confused or mentally disturbed?

"Her name is Katara," Zuko says through gritted teeth. The effort he exerts to keep from shouting is making him shake.

"Pardon?" Joo Dee says, her cheeriness faltering ever so slightly.

"I said," he bites out, "her name is _Katara_. Release her immediately and send her up."

"But, Master Zuko – "

"Immediately," he repeats coldly. "And you and Long Feng want to keep your jobs then you will both apologize to her."

"Right away, sir," says Joo Dee, sounding predictably contrite.

After she hangs up, Zuko stares dumbly at the speaker for an entire minute before he is able to fully comprehend that Katara is on her way up to his apartment.

Zuko runs a nervous hand through his hair and surveys the room. The place is relatively clean and presentable but the maids don't work on Sundays so his bed isn't made. Though there is absolutely no reason for Katara to see the inside of his bedroom so it doesn't matter and he shouldn't be thinking about it.

The knock on the door comes just as he finishes changing his shirt.

"Zuko?" Katara calls, her voice barely audible through the thick wood. "It's me, Katara."

Hearing her speak, and knowing that she's close, manages to quell any residual anger. The effect she has on him is uncanny.

Zuko opens the door expecting to find an irate Katara just waiting to serenade him with a glorious and justified rant, but that's not the girl who's standing on his doorstep. Nothing could have prepared him for the sight of Katara in such a sorry state. He had forgotten about the rain.

Katara is shivering, her red-rimmed eyes are watery with tears, and she's drenched from head to toe. Something is clearly very wrong, and all Zuko wants to do is reach out to pull her close.

"Katara…" he gasps, shocked by her appearance.

"I'm sorry," she says. "Your uncle told me where to find you. I had no idea…" her voice trails off and she peers over his shoulder into the apartment. "Should I go home?" she asks uncertainly.

"No!" Zuko says quickly, stepping aside so she can enter. "Of course not. Come in."

"I'm sorry," she says again, following him inside. "I won't stay long."

"Don't be stupid," he snaps, feeling unreasonably annoyed. "You'll get sick if you go back out there. That rain is supposed to turn to ice soon."

"You forget that I'm a Water Tribe girl," Katara counters, though her characteristic stubbornness is noticeably absent from her tone.

"So, what are you doing here?" he asks bluntly, shutting the door behind her. Why didn't she just email him? Or text him? Or call him? Zuko wants to know what's so important that she's willing to risk her health and her safety.

"Well…" she starts, taking a deep breath. "I did something rash, and since this is your project I thought that you should know about it."

"Okay…?" The look on her face already fills him with a sense of nervous dread.

"Sokka is editor of the campus newspaper, and…" Katara bites her bottom lip. "There's going to be a story in tomorrow's issue."

"Come again?" he asks after a tense moment of silence. She can't be serious can she? And knowing Katara… there's no way she'd leave Sozin's name out of her muckraking.

"The people deserve to know about this," she says, crossing her arms defensively. "We're having this whole week dedicated to raising money for a cause. Don't you think it's just a little insane for us to hide the truth from the people we're asking for donations from?"

"No," he answers, gritting his teeth. "No, I do not."

Her eyes narrow. "Well, that's too bad because I do."

Zuko clenches his fists until his knuckles are white and fights hard to keep from shouting out in anger. Just who the hell does she think she is? Why couldn't she just have kept her mouth shut? He doubts that she has any idea how badly she's fucked him over. Now his father won't think twice about handing over his birthright to Azula. Hell, Ozai will probably disown him and then he will have nothing, no shares, no place on the board, no family, no fortune.

"How could you do this without asking me first?" he demands.

"I don't need your permission to write a story," she replies scathingly.

"You do when it's about my project." Zuko counters. He had almost said _family_, and almost blurting out the terrible secret is enough to cause a great wave of panic to wash over him. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"These people are dying, Zuko!" she shouts. "Why shouldn't Sozin's be held accountable for that? Why should people have to suffer and die because no one is willing to stand up for those greedy pigs? You and I both know that absolutely no one in that company gives a damn about anyone but themselves!"

She's right. She is one hundred percent undeniably right. He has been selfish and he wants to laugh because he has been so blind. He's worrying about his family disowning him when he should be worrying about his family destroying her. If they consider her a threat then they'll tear her to shreds. Zuko is not about to let Katara become a martyr.

"You said it's coming out tomorrow," he says, his mind racing. "Which means that the story has probably already been printed, but there's still time to stop the papers from being distributed."

"But I don't want to stop it! What about that do you not understand? I wrote the story for a reason."

Zuko shakes her head. "You have no idea who you're going up against," he warns.

"I know _exactly_ who I'm up against," she says, sounding surprisingly bitter. "Ozai doesn't scare me and I am _not_ going to back down."

"It's not worth it," he tells her, unconsciously touching a hand to his scar

"These people need a voice!" She's too furious at his words to notice his actions.

"But why does it have to be yours?" he asks, almost pleadingly.

"Because no one else is willing to step up!" she replies, eyes blazing. "Why shouldn't it be me?"

"Because I don't want to see you get hurt!" he explodes. "Look at you! You're lips are blue. Venturing out into an ice storm just to tell me about some damn suicide mission? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Katara recoils. "Are you angry that I'm here?"

"Yes!" says Zuko. He hates seeing her this way and he hates knowing that it's his fault. If she needed to see him she should have called him and he would have come to her. He's not worth risking pneumonia for. But he's angrier at himself for even starting this argument when what she really needs are dry clothes and a cup of hot tea.

"Fine," she hisses. "Message received."

Without uttering another word, Katara turns on her heal and marches back over to the door. Zuko stares at her, trying to take everything in, from her shivering body to the puddle she's left on the hardwood floor.

Fuck it.

Fuck his family, fuck his pride, fuck her self-righteousness, and fuck the fucking pentapox medicine.

Katara's hand has already closed around the doorknob when Zuko springs into action. She's managed to open the door just a crack before his arm shoots out over her head and slams it shut again.

"I don't want you to leave," he says lowly, towering over her.

Katara whips back around and snarls up at him. "Well, it's not up to you!"

"I won't let you go back out there and freeze to death."

Zuko realizes belatedly that maybe that wasn't the best way to express his concern but he stands his ground.

"You won't _let _me?" Katara is practically seething now. "I don't need your permission."

"It's _my_ apartment and it's _my_ project." His face is inches away from hers. "Why am I not allowed any say in this?"

"Because you're not! You don't get to decide where I go. You don't get to decide what I write about. I'm a grown woman, Zuko. I don't care if this is your apartment or your project. You don't get to tell me what to do!"

But that's not what he's doing! He's not trying to tell her what to do anymore. He's trying to fix it. He's trying to make it better.

He growls and it's a deep animalistic growl that rumbles in his chest. He feels like a dragon. His anger is so raw and confusing and it's surging through his arms and his legs and he can't make her understand. He doesn't know what to say. He doesn't know how to express this… this _fear_, this panic. He's so bad at being good, and it's as if he's speaking another language. She just doesn't get it.

"Fucking A, Katara!" he roars. "Why can't you just _shut up_ and let me take care of you?"

She inhales sharply, stunned and silenced by his outburst. She stares up at him for a long moment, and she's so beautiful and it makes his heart clench.

But he can see it now. In her eyes he sees that vulnerability. She fears rejection just as much as he does and she's just as unsure about the radioactive chemistry that's eating away at his better judgment.

"I don't need you to take care of me," she says stubbornly, still glowering.

"I know that," Zuko murmurs. "But I want to." His posture slackens and he backs away so his body is no longer crowding hers. "Please."

"I didn't just come here to talk about the article," says Katara, eyes fixed unblinkingly on his. "I'm here because I wanted to see you."

"I know," he repeats, just as gently as before, though her confession makes his heart skip a beat. He seriously considers kissing her and the thought is only slightly horrifying. "How does a hot shower sound?"

"Heavenly," she sighs. "I can't feel my toes."

"Let me show you where my bathroom is." Because he sure as hell isn't going to make her use Azula's.

* * *

There's a television screen in Zuko's shower. Katara has suspected for quite some time that Zuko is wealthy. Whenever they go out he insists on paying and then throws down his platinum card without even glancing at the bill. At first she thought that he was trying to impress her, but it is clear now that it's second nature to him. Zuko has obviously never had to worry about money.

The shower indeed manages to chase away the numbing cold but does nothing to relax her frayed nerves. Initially it had been Sozin Industries and pentapox that were making her head spin. Self-righteous indignation is an emotion she's more than comfortable experiencing and expressing. She wishes that it were anger that's making her heart beat a mile a minute. Anger is so much simpler than what she's feeling right now.

Katara knows that Zuko is going to insist that she spend the night. Soon the buses will have stopped running, and once the temperature drops another few degrees, the roads will be an icy deathtrap, making it unlikely that she'd be able to catch a cab. Zuko will be overcome with this manly protectiveness that Katara knows she should find irritating but doesn't. Then he'll say or do a dozen little things that will make her want to kiss him, and as soon as she can work up the resolve to go for it, he'll announce that it's bedtime and then stash her in a room with a door that locks from the outside.

It's not like she can't control herself. It's not like he's the first guy with sexy biceps and sexy hair and a sexy jaw to flash her a sexy smirk!

Katara learned the hard way not to expect much from men. Her first boyfriend, Jet, was the boy that parents warn their daughters to stay away from, but she had been in high school, and it is a well known fact that high school girls are especially vulnerable to bad boy charm. They broke up after almost a year of dating when she discovered that he had been cheating on her from day one, though this was probably a good thing. Jet would have wanted sex from Katara more frequently if he hadn't been getting it from other girls. Sex with Jet was tedious and often unpleasant, as he was selfish and inconsiderate by nature. Katara doesn't know she didn't leave him sooner.

Aang is the sweetest and most gentle boy she's ever met, and essentially the antithesis of Jet. After Jet broke her heart it was Aang who put it back together. But as wonderful and caring of a boyfriend Aang had been, and as much as she loved him, all of the hand-holding and chaste kisses left her bored and unsatisfied. This doesn't mean that she wasn't devastated when he broke things off with her. She loves him deeply, and when they had been together she came close to accepting that couples in functioning relationships aren't supposed to be driven wild.

Katara's friendship with Zuko is also rather platonic, yet it feels so much more… _intimate_. Aang didn't make sexual advances because he was simply uninterested in sex, whereas Zuko seems interested but unwilling to pursue it. The distance between them is calculated – he's always so careful not to touch her or even look at her for too long. And when he does look at her, he does so with such a strange intensity. Katara wonders if he notices how often he stares at her lips. Though Zuko hasn't even touched her, he still manages to make her feel more desired than Jet ever did.

Though sometimes she wishes that he didn't. She doesn't understand why he takes her to these romantic restaurants and spends the entire evening undressing her with his eyes when at the end of the night he's going to shake her hand and walk away. Is this some kind of Fire Nation courting ritual she's never heard of?

He doesn't have a girlfriend. Katara had Suki do a bit of investigating, and apparently he dated this high-class rich girl for a couple of years, but they broke up months ago. So if he's not some sort of love-shy virgin then what's his deal?

By now she's seen that he's a loner and doesn't socialize much, which is more than all right with her. Katara likes that she doesn't have to share him. She likes that he doesn't even acknowledge other girls, but for Katara he smiles. It's a small, reluctant smile, but it's still a smile. Maybe he's not completely inept.

Part of her is terrified that she's just imagining his attraction because she wants so badly for him to want her as much as she wants him. Katara hates the way he makes her doubt herself. Is it possible that Zuko, like many members of the Fire Nation elite, is prejudiced against the Water Tribe? He's never made her feel inferior – if anything, he puts her on a pedestal.

When Katara is with Zuko she feels special. He talks to her about her interests and actually listens when she speaks. Sometimes they have minor disagreements. Zuko is juts as opinioned as she is, but arguing with him is exhilarating. And if class is overwhelming and she doesn't feel like talking, or if he's too tired to keep up with her, they sit in a comfortable silence, simply enjoying each other's company.

She was legitimately shocked by how he reacted when she told him about the newspaper article. They rarely discuss the project and she was under the impression that he didn't actually care about it. She didn't expect him to flip out and she didn't even get the chance to tell him about Aang's email and the photographs. Though for now, those things can wait.

After her shower Katara takes her time towel drying her hair. Trying to tame the long wavy locks without the aid of a comb and her fancy conditioner is a challenge, but she's in no hurry to exit the safety of the bathroom.

Her clothes lay in a wet heap on the tile floor. Does Zuko expect her to just roll on out in a towel? The lack of dry clothing is obviously an oversight on his part. Katara knows that he has a sister who lives with him. Surely he will offer her something his sister's to borrow? Or something of his own? Regardless of who the clothes belong to, she's sure that the outfit will be shapeless and conservative. In the mean time she'll have to make due with his red terrycloth bathrobe.

The robe absolutely dwarfs her. On Zuko, the hem likely falls just shy of his knee, while on Katara's significantly smaller body, the robe covers half of her shins. She makes sure the belt is tied securely around her waist before she even considers emerging.

Filled with anxious excitement, Katara fishes for her cell phone buried somewhere under her wet jeans, and is grateful for the extra money she had shelled out for the waterproof case. She needed to let one of her roommates know that she doesn't plan on returning home anytime soon.

**Me** (7:30 PM): I don't think I'm going to make it home tonight so don't wait up.

**Suki** (7:33 PM): u at sokka's? tell him i got tickets to my kyoshi recital so hes got no excuse not to come this time!

**Me** (7:34 PM): I'm at Zuko's actually.

**Suki** (7:34 PM): … sex?

**Me** (7:35 PM): No! I'm just stranded here due to the inclement weather.

**Suki** (7:35 PM): uuuuhhhhhuuuhhhh…

**Me** (7:37 PM): I'm not saying that I'd be opposed to sleeping with him, but I just don't see it in the cards.

**Suki** (7:37 PM): yea ok.

**Suki** (7:39 PM): btw u hear back from aang?

**Me** (7:39 PM): Yeah.

**Suki** (7:41 PM): u ok?

**Me** (7:43 PM): I guess. I can forward you the email.

**Suki** (7:43 PM): look who's apartment you've run to

**Me** (7:45 PM): He makes me happy.

**Suki** (7:45 PM): ill say…

**Me** (7:50 PM): I want sex.

**Suki** (7:51 PM): use protection :D

To: Katara  
Subject: Greetings!  
Date: 20 November, 2012 5:33:50 PM  
From: Aang  
27 Attachments

Dear Katara,  
I would love for you and the gang to come visit me here in Jang Hui. I miss you all too. It's great that you're having fun with your little project. I'll admit that I'm surprised at your approach. I think it's important that you forgive Sozin Industries for what happened to your mother. You can't allow your emotions to cloud your judgment. Sozin's is responsible for the pentapox outbreak, and the pictures I've attached to this message will prove it. If you try to take down Sozin's you will fail. We don't need to destroy the company we just need to stop the dumping. You can't make this personal. If you condemn Sozin's actions and not attack the people behind them then you won't make enemies. That being said, it's not enough to just raise money to help buy medicine. People need to be informed. Should the sick have to suffer in silence? I know you'll do the right thing.

I never expected you to wait for me, but I won't lie, I wouldn't complain if you did. I can't make you happy and you deserve to be with someone who can. I care about you but I don't want you to miss out on love because of me.

Tell everyone I say hey!

Aang

* * *

**AN:** So this was a tad bit longer than usual, which I hope is alright with everyone. A reader asked if Toph is blind, and the answer is yes. Toph is blind but she has one of the speak/text features on her phone. If anything else is unclear please feel free to ask! Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I really cannot express how much joy they bring me to read. The next chapter is... more steamy... and is therefore more difficult to write. Reviews are motivating and this author could use all the motivation she can get! Thank you for reading!


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